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Goals that the Chess Federation of Canada might aim for in future

Here are some thoughts and lists of mine regarding goals that the CFC might aim for at some time in the future:

The following is based on an April 2017 chesstalk discussion forum post of mine:

Regarding the 2012 CFC Long-term Planning Committee report, a lot of the planning was based on repeating previous success stories in the case of Windsor. Fwiw, my first instinct was that Windsor was something of a special case, but I still saw quite a lot that could be salvaged from the plan as presented. If nothing else it is filled with many goals and observations that remain valid. Years ago I left something like two dozen suggestions of what might be done practically (in my view) with the plan in the Governor's private forum, for Voting Members who might look at some point [these suggestions, & more, are probably all found in this blog entry].

How to sum up the progress of the CFC since 2012? My views are subjective and with incomplete knowledge, but here's some lists of my quick impressions of the main targets given by the CFC Long-term Planning Committee (first given is a link to report):

Here's a wish list of my own for competitive (CFC) chess; I'll start with the good news as I perceive it:

1) Ways offered to improve at chess (Yes; teaching and coaching widespread for a long time);
2) More junior CFC members since 2012 (Slightly up, I think);
3) More adult CFC members since 2012 (Slightly up, I think);
4) More 2200+ CFC members since 2012 (Slightly up, I think);
5) More female CFC members since 2012 (Slightly up, I think);
6) Progress towards CFC regaining charitable status (Perhaps, since Cdn Gov't recognized CFC as governing body for sport of chess);

Continuing now with some things I have no inkling of [possible lack of] progress by CFC:

7) More senior CFC members since 2012? (Don't know, since date of birth not tracked by CFC);
8) CFC transparency improved? (Maybe; public pie chart of [necessary] expenditures currently would be unwise P/R maybe, due to high administration cost %);

Now for some other things that don't seem to be happening yet:

9) Occasional membership surveys;
10) CFC fostering the development of more team chess across Canada;
11) Get demographics of CFC members (e.g. get date of birth, if nothing else) - might get niche purchasing tendencies of chess players via CFC member surveys;
12) Get any Provincial Associations not already relating to/affiliated with CFC into the fold somehow;
13) Offer something to (e.g. adult) players who seem to have stagnant ratings, e.g. rating floor like USCF;
14) Rated Sections, or even whole events, designed to bring in many newcomers (takes advertising);

Finally, some things that would be nice if the CFC ever had considerably more money &/or time:

15) Print magazine for members again;
16) Physical office again;
17) Revisit the CFC governance structure (e.g. have one member one vote), perhaps.

The following is based on a July 2017 chesstalk discussion forum post of mine:

I've looked back on many of my old wishes about what the CFC might strive for in future, and I'll recap them here:

Short-term wishes:

1. Have a server available for CFC members that's ready to be used (ask even CFC members if some might administer it);
2. Have a USCF-style rating floor (e.g. if you're ever 15xx you can't go below 1300 ever) - fights sandbagging & may slow rating stagnation/decline of individual players (good for business!?);
3. Figure out how to promote chess better [as exciting] {cultural activity} - if nothing else, someday might have TV/Newspaper commercial(s) with a chess set plus refreshments on coffee table or picnic bench (no people present), with caption reminding people of chess in their childhood (asking if they would they like to brush up in a big way, then give CFC website address);
4. Have CFC President's message to CFC members (like e.g. Kalev Pugi used to write), say in email Newsletter;
5. Try to use community TV channels/(community newspapers) across Canada to promote chess; organizers can use these to seek fresh organizers and volunteers, too;
6. Can approach military bases & other places where people regularly gather, to hope for large number of fresh players & organizers;
7. Rated Sections, or even whole events, designed to bring in many newcomers (takes advertising);
8. Occasional membership surveys - e.g. might get niche purchasing tendencies of chess players, which may help get more corporate sponsorship;
9. Perhaps private forum for ordinary CFC members on CFC Discussion Board.

Long-term(?) wishes (discounts can be introduced one at a time when CFC revenue rises sufficiently):

10. Get demographics of CFC members (e.g. get date of birth, if nothing else);
11. Provide list of top Senior players in Canada;
12. Improve appearance of CFC website, the face of the CFC (main page currently looks jumbled);
13. Might improve CFC Discussion Board, e.g. have specialized forums for non-Chess topics (compare e.g. OzChess, the Australian chess message board);
14. Provide some thing(s) for non-elite player adult CFC members (e.g. more funding for some types of local events);
15. Recreational player membership;
16. Encourage growth of Canadian chess clubs (e.g. more discounts - maybe there's the possibility that the CFC might one day negotiate an arrangement with CMA/(equipment supplier[s]) to allow the CFC to indirectly offer discounts to clubs [and perhaps their members]);
17. Lots of [big] clubs helps promote team chess eventually too - could have team chess on internet as well;
18. Regain Charitable Status for CFC;
19. Improve CFC transparency (e.g. public pie chart of [necessary] CFC expenditures);
20. New class of Senior membership (discounted);
21. New class of Military membership (discounted);
22. Perhaps add new class of Women's membership (discounted);
23. Get any Provincial Associations not already affiliated with CFC into the fold somehow (Sask. is coming back now, at least);
24. CFC a force for chess education, e.g. core subject in schools;
25. Provide seperate Active and Blitz ratings;
26. Provide print CFC magazine again eventually;
27. Get a CFC physical office (and store) again eventually;
28. Besides chess books & equipment, CFC can sell e.g. T-shirts or perhaps even Canadian elite chess player [post]cards (with data);
29. Provide CFC Bughouse ratings eventually (perhaps same for Chess960, Crazyhouse & even other chess variants) - this may be more workable in the beginning if & when a chess server is up and running, if variants can be added as an option, but even now non-CFC rated Canadian bughouse events are increasing, as internet reveals;
30. Eventually lower CFC membership fees (e.g. by $3?);
31. Eventually lower CFC rating fees (e.g. by $1?);
32. Revisit the CFC governance structure (e.g. have one member one vote), perhaps;
33. Have 10,000+ CFC members (my old target was to hope for 2,000+ once again).

P.S.: interesting result when one Googles "Canadian bughouse tournaments 2016; I wonder how many participants are currently not CFC members: